Romania

Robert Gillette's article (Nov. 28), "Romania, a New Winter of Despair," is the most comprehensive and sensible article I have seen in the U.S. press since I left Romania 10 years ago. Also, it is the first time a sad truth is spelled out: The $12 billion Western credit meant "an unparalleled collection of industrial white elephants," playing into the Communist fixation for heavy industry. Now the people have to pay back with sweat, blood and death.

Throughout their history the Romanians went through many horrors fighting Asian barbarians, Turks and Russians invasions, being well aware they were defending the Christian civilization. A strange retribution to see the marriage between the Communist oppressor and the Western banker at the expense of the people.